Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Madonna
Women's Basketball Opens 2013-14 Campaign Against Madonna
11/6/2013 5:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Friday, Nov. 8, 2013 » 2:30 p.m. » Convocation Center (8,784) » Ypsilanti, Mich.
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EAGLES OPEN 2013-14 CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE CRUSADERS: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team opens the 2013-14 campaign with a non-conference tilt Friday, Nov. 8, versus Madonna University. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The game is the second leg of a doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team, which tangles with Albion College at noon. Veteran broadcasters Chad Bush and Greg Steiner will have the exclusive call on Eagle All-Access beginning at 2:20 p.m.
ALL-TIME IN SEASON LID LIFTERS: The Nov. 8 contest against Madonna marks the start of Eastern Michigan University's 38th year of women's basketball, which began in 1976-77. The Eagles' first-ever collegiate contest since the school began offering scholarships was a 63-53 setback to the University of Michigan, Jan. 11, 1977.
All-time the Eagles are 24-13 in season lid lifters, including winning 11 of their last 12 openers dating back to an 82-67 victory over Cornell University, Nov. 16, 2001 at the Convocation Center.
AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS: Eastern Michigan has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 10 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Eagles are 45-20 (69.2 winning percentage) against in-state rivals.
EMU AND THE HOME OPENER: Friday's home opener versus Madonna marks the 16th season of EMU women's basketball at the Convocation Center. The Eagles are 13-2 all time in season openers at the Convo, including winning the last 13 home lid lifters dating back to a 79-53 victory over Chicago State University, Nov. 17, 2000. During the winning streak, EMU is winning the home opener by an average of 36 points (EMU 84.1, OPP 47.9).
ALL-TIME AGAINST NON-DIVISION I COMPETITION: The Madonna contest marks the second regular season meeting between EMU and Madonna. The Eagles are 14-2 all-time against non-NCAA Division I foes with the last meeting against the Crusaders occurring during the 2009 campaign when the Eagles rolled to a 84-36 victory at the Convocation Center, Nov. 16, 2009.
OFFENSE A PLENTY IN EXHIBITION WIN OVER WAYNE STATE: EMU rallied from a 14-point first half deficit to earn an 85-76 exhibition victory over Wayne State, Nov. 5, at the Convocation Center. Down 30-16 with 6:46 to play in the opening half, the Eagles offense ignited for a 31-15 run over the next 10:49 to take a 47-45 edge that they would never relinquish.
Freshman Cha Sweeney led the EMU offense as she tallied 20 points in her first contest for the Eagles, while Janay Morton notched 14 and Desyree Thomas netted 13 points. Freshman Haley Moore and Olivia Fouty each had double-digit points as Moore had 12 and Fouty had 11. The Eagles defensive effort was led by Morton, Sweeney and Jamaica Bucknor who each tallied three steals on the night, while Natachia Watkins pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.
EMU VERSUS THE MAC: This is EMU's 33rd season competing in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles hold a 237-292 record against conference foes and have posted winning seasons in the MAC in 11 of the last 13 campaigns. EMU has had the most success against Northern Illinois, going 30-9, and the least versus Bowling Green, 14-47. Western Michigan has been the Green and White's most frequent opponent with 73 meetings, while Buffalo holds the distinction of the fewest conference games against the Eagles with 20.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: The Eagles have won 40 of the last 59 home games dating back to the 2008-09 campaign. Eastern Michigan has racked up a solid home court advantage inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. The Green and White has won 68.0 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 134-63 all-time mark.
ALLOWING 50 OR LESS: Eastern Michigan is 97-1 all time when allowing 50 points-or-less. Since 2003-04, the Green and White has accomplished the feat 53 times with 28 of those coming against Mid-American Conference foes.
CLIMBING THE ASSIST CHARTS: Junior Desyree Thomas is currently eighth in the EMU record book with 337 career assists. Stephanie Smiley (1998-02) holds the EMU standard with 577 helpers.
THE 700 CLUB: With her six point performance at Northern Illinois, Feb. 28, 2013, junior Natachia Watkins became just the 34th player in EMU women's basketball history to score more than 700 points in a career.
ON THE HORIZON: Following the Madonna contest, the Eagles will remain at home for a non-conference affair against Butler University, Nov. 13. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center. The Eagles and Bulldogs will be meeting for the second consecutive year after a decade-long break. Butler leads the all-time series, 3-2.
In last year's game, BU notched a 65-59 victory at venerable Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 28, 2013. The Bulldogs used the Eagles' foul troubles to cap the victory down stretch, hitting 18-of-23 free throws in the game. EMU shot 36.2 percent (21-of-58) from the field in the game, but hit just 13.3 percent (2-of-15) three-point tries.
The last time the teams met in Ypsilanti was Nov. 25, 2002, when EMU rolled to a 79-47 victory.
ALL-TIME VERSUS THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE: Eastern is 3-8 all-time versus the new version of the Big East Conference, having only played five of the 10 member institutions. EMU is 2-3 against Butler, 1-0 versus Creighton, 0-1 against Providence, 0-1 versus St. John's and 0-3 against DePaul.
